Tuesday night just before 11:30 pm a Garland Police Officer assigned to patrol was responding to back up another officer. The officer did not have his emergency lights and siren activated and was traveling west on Forest Lane towards International Drive when a car heading east on Forest turned left in front of him onto International. The officer swerved his squad car to avoid possibly hitting the turning car. At that time the pavement was wet from sprinklers running in the median and caused the squad car to lose traction and slide sideways. The squad car struck the base of a utility power line pole causing the squad car to flip and come to rest upside down.
There was another officer traveling behind the squad who responded immediately to the injured officer. The officer was pulled from his squad car and flown to Methodist Hospital of Dallas by helicopter. The officer, who has been with the Department 3½ years, is listed in stable condition with several injuries and none that are believed to be life threatening at this time.
Initially officers believed the driver of the vehicle that turned left had not stopped but later learned he had in fact stopped and tried to lend assistance to the responding officers. He has talked with investigators and they report no charges are being filed at this time.